Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-28

| never used the word bet, but always
said gsin. So / proposed that he
would put up his watch and chain and
I would place tile 81, 900 against 1t. and
tben when he gained IL back we could
90 and laugh it over. So heput up his
watch and chain, both handsome gold
pieces. that had been presented him
by his congregation, and naturally
enough won them. Iopened the door,
went out into the cabin, and met the
captain. When showed him the
reverend gentleman's watch he could
hardly believe his eyes. l then went
back to the room and found the
preacher on his knees. He arose and
said i've just been praying for you.
I rerIied: Brother, hadn't you better
10 little praying for yourself? Now
here are your watch and chain, and as
the captain tells me you are about I'M
poyeiished after eur little fun, III give
You hundred back Before the old
fellow bad chance to say anything to
the captain i had left the boat.
"while it is still fresh in my mind
III tell you another story
"ComIpg up on the Sultana one
plight there were about twenty-five OF
the toughest set of men as cabin-pas-
sengers, / believe, j ever met. They
were on their way to Napoleon, Ark,
which at that time was a great town,
and known as the jumping-of place.
in those days These Napoleon fellows
were looked upon as cut-throats and
robbers, and thought nothing OF muir
deripg fellow simply to make them
appear big men with their gang. L
had for partners man named Canada
Eli, as game party as ever strobe
the deck of steamboat, and one OF
the shrewdest gamblers | ever encoun-
tered.
GAS soon as supper was over TINS
gang of Arkansas toughs got in the
cabin, ard OF course wanted to play
cards. Bill had opened up business In
the main hall, and a great crowd had
gathered about him. saw that most
of these devils had been drinking, and
gave Bill the nod, which he OF course
understood. He only played short
while and left the game, pretending to
be broke. Then we fixed it up that |
should do the playing and he would
watch ont for any trouble. Well, the
result was / got about everything
the twenty-five men had, including
their watches, and beat some seven or
eight other passengers. The men all
took it apparently good natured at the
time, but as the night wore on and they
kept on drinking from their private
TASKS / made sneak to my room and
changed my clothes. By the back stairs
Islipped down into the kitchen and sent
man after my partner. / had black
ened my face, aud looked like one ofthe
negro rousters. l only had slime to
wsln him, when terrible runipus up
stairs told he the jig WAS up, and with
their vhiskey to aid them they were
searching for me, and ii they caught
me it would he good-day to me. lpaId
the cooks to keep mum, and Bill made
himself scarce. They had their guns
out, and were kicking in the state
room doors hunting for me. Some OF
them came down on deck, and were
walking back and forth by me, cursing
and threatening vengeance. | heard
one Of them ask n roustabout if he had
noticed n weli-dressed man on deck
lately. He, of course, had not, as Bill
had gone back up the kitchen stairs,
and with these devils was raising Cain,
looking for me, and my disguise had
not been discovered under the darkness
of the night.
"The boat was ploughing her way
along up the coast. The stevedores
were shouting TO the darkies, hurrying
them along with the freight for land
ing soon to be reached. The boat s
whistle blew, and soon she was heading
in for the shore. A crowd Of these fell
lows were waiting for me, as they sus-
pected / would try and get of. They
were locking, mind you, for we'll
dressed man. As soon as the boat
landed about ten OF them, gunsin hand.
ran out over the stage TO shore, and
closely scanned the face of every per-
son that came of. There was stack
of plows to be discharged from the
boats cargo, and noting the fact |
shouldered one, and with it followed
the long line OF 'coons' amid the
curses Of the mates, and fairly flew past
these men who were hunting me. !
kept on up the high bank and over the
levee, and when threw my plow In
the pile with the others made OF for
the cotton-felds and laid fat on my
back until the boat got again under
way and the burning pine in tue torches
on deck had been extinguished.
at was close call, / can assure you.
Bill met me at Vicksburg the next day
and brought the Doodle, which We
divided. He said the crowd took lights
and searched the boats hold for me
after We left the landing. Bill must
have played his part well, as he told me
afterNard that they never suspicicned
him. Yes, could tell many OF my
exploits. The river was for the
greater portion OF my gam
bling career my strongest hold.
But it's all over now. Even should q
man strike big winning, there are al
WAYS too MANY smart Alexis about. and
You wonld have to whack mp with so
many that there vould be little left for
the winner. Iexpect to have my book
ont i'll the fall. It's to be sold only by
subscription"
So saying, the old sporting man o.